SA releases its activities for July 16 – 22, 2018

The government of South Africa has scheduled the following briefings/activities for the week, July 16 – 22, 2018. The activities, which are aligned to the National Development Plan and outlined in the Medium Term Strategic Framework 2014-2019, are expected to build a better South Africa.

Below are the activities.

The Minister of Communications, Ms Nomvula Mokonyane, will on Monday, 16 July, visit Jozini, Umkhanyakude District Municipality at 09H00, to engage community members on service delivery issues as part of the National Imbizo Focus Week.

The Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation and the National Youth Development Agency will host the BRICS Youth Ministers meeting and BRICS Youth Summit at the Zebula Estate, Bela Bela, Limpopo from 16 to 20 July. As part of the activities, Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, will deliver an opening address for the BRICS Youth Summit at 10h00 and chair the meeting of the Youth Ministers.

The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Mr Senzeni Zokwana, will visit Witsieshoek in Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality on Tuesday, 16 July at 10H00. The minister’s visit is part of the National Imbizo Focus Week that will give a platform for communities to conduct a dialogue on the living conditions of farmworkers in the Free State Province.

The Department of Environmental Affairs will host the Gauteng provincial stakeholder engagement workshop on the National Climate Change Bill at Holiday Inn OR Tambo Airport, Gauteng, Monday, 16 July. The purpose of the Bill is to build an effective climate change response and ensure the long-term, just transition to a climate resilient and lower carbon economy and society. This will be done within the context of sustainable development for South Africa, and will provide for all matters related to climate change.

The Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry (dti), Mr Bulelani Magwanishe, will lead a business delegation to Angola on a Trade and Investment mission. The mission will take place from 16-21 July. South Africa considers the mission as a strategic intervention of its investment-led trade approach. This approach aims to position South Africa as the preferred trade and investment partner to the new Angolan government through commercial exchanges in the targeted sectors of this mission. The business delegation will consist of 20 South African companies funded by the dti.

The Minister of Economic Development, Mr Ebrahim Patel will on Tuesday, 17 July, host a media briefing to discuss the Competition Amendment Bill. The briefing will be held at Imbizo Media Centre, Parliament, Cape Town at 12h45. NB: There will be a video link up to GCIS Head Office, Tshedimosetso House, Hatfield, Pretoria.

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) will participate in a BRICS Round Table Discussion scheduled to take place in Richards Bay's Industrial Development Zone on Tuesday, 17 July. Professor Anil Sooklal, BRICS Sous-Sherpa and Deputy Director-General for Asia and Middle East in DIRCO, will represent the Department in the event. The essential part of the Round Table Discussion will involve issues around foreign investment and exploring investment opportunities offered by South Africa's membership of BRICS.

On 17 July, the National Treasury’s Office of the Chief Procurement Officer will host a media workshop on the Department’s role in tender processes at Pretoria. The workshop is aimed at assisting journalists understand Treasury’s role in deviations, and under which circumstances departments are allowed to deviate from normal tender processes.

Ministry of Sport and Recreation South Africa has outlined its planned activities for the upcoming Tata Madiba Birthday Celebration. 17 July 2018: Minister Ms Tokozile Xasa, will officially Open 2018 BRICS Games with an opening that will showcase the vibrancy of South African culture and heritage whilst welcoming BRICS nations that will be taking part.  The event opening is scheduled to take place at Wits University, Old Mutual Sport Hall commencing at 17h00. 19 July 2018: Minister Xasa will undertake a Ministerial Outreach programme at Elias Motswaledi Local Municipality. The Ministerial Outreach is set to commence with ‘I choose to be active Walk’ scheduled for 09H00.

On Wednesday, 18 July, South Africans and the world will again celebrate the birthday of South Africa’s first democratically elected President, Nelson Mandela. The United Nations declared the day Nelson Mandela International Day in 2009, in recognition of Madiba’s lifelong struggle against injustice.

All members of the media are advised that the media briefings/activities are subject to change. However, the GCIS will update the media through advisories.